Once you have lost the people's trust, it is very difficult to regain it.
People that voted and supported Barack Obama never thought he would be like Bush, let alone worse.
From his criticisms of Bush, no one had any idea that he would continue the Bush spying program under any circumstances. But as soon as he got his first briefing from Bob Gates and David Petraeus, he was gung ho to continue and to expand every single secret program in the CIA arsenal.
Some people have lost faith in this President and he will not be able to get it back.
So what if they are now going to make the phone logs public information. What about the emails and articles that people have sent and downloaded? Oh, those are secret?
It doesn't make people feel any better that the incompetent do-nothing Congress knew about it or that there was a rubber-stamp 3-judge panel that was willing to agree to everything the government wanted. That does nothing to change the situation except make it legal. It does not make it right.
The President is in a very tough situation of his own making. He betrayed a lot of his supporters who believed he was different from Bush. But on the bright side, we will finally get to see "bi-partisanship" in the Congress and the Senate, in their efforts to cover their own terrible decisions and their own asses.
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I made my first comments on this in early 2004, and have repeated my belief often over the years. Little has transpired to alleviate my fear while much has happened to enhance it . . .
Power is more easily grabbed than relinquished.
As recipients of a political reality altered beyond anything the wildest thinkers could have imagined just a few short years ago, it will take a remarkable will for anyone to revoke it, let alone strive to revert it to what it was before. Certainly, I see a quick return to some aspects of "normality," but the allure of unbridled power will remain and, despite readily accomplished cosmetic improvements, power's seduction will be a Siren song of indeterminate appeal.
Yet another reason for us all -- Democrats and Republicans -- to choose wisely in the coming elections.
And here we are today, five years into a new administration, debating the same issues, concerned with the same fears. Only now, the happy-face deflections of the past ("Oh, no, he's a 'Constitutional scholar' -- he'll put all this aright!"
sound more hollow than they did. 
So now people can hunker down and wrap a bunch more tinfoil around their heads and wonder how evil Obama will use and abuse their information?
Shit. I get popup ads in browsers based on what I just bought online. Information is being exchanged about you and me all the time. I don't think Dr. Evil Obama is sitting in the chair holding a little dog laughing manically.
To hell with the "no different than Bush" b.s.
part of junior's pre-emptive wars of aggression continued, the methods of prosecuting the permanent war on terra were little changed, appointment of right-wingers to high-level positions in the administration continued, and tax and fiscal policies are not that much changed. I feel that BHO has governed much farther to the right that is generally acknowledged. Most of his actions would have been applauded by Republicans had he been a Republican. That said, BHO has been a hundred-fold better than any Repuke would have been imo. 
Sometimes Friday afternoon here at DU is freaking hilarious!
